Rail-joint.



J. M. JORGENSEN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED 'APR.13, 1910.

. Patented Feb.7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m Du WITNESS-8:

ATTORNEYS J. M. JORGENSEN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1910.

Patented Feb. 7,1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS FOB/GEN M. JORGENSEN, OF NEi/V YORK, N. Y.

RAIL- OINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Felo. 7, 1911.

Application filed ApriLlS, 1910. .Serial No. 555,141.

thejunction between consecutive rails a pair of fish plates so shaped,proportioned and arranged, as to compensate-for wear of the fish platesand of the rails, in such manner that by tightening the fish platesrelatively to the rails, the latter can be periodically braced up andrendered as if new.

My invention further relates. to the apportionment of the variousbearing surfaces of the fish plates, so as to attain, as far aspracticable, equality in the distribution of mechanical strains betweenthe rail and the fish plates.

My invention further relates to so forming the fish plates as toeconomize the amount of metal contained within them and to utilize such.metal as they contain to the best advantage.

My invention further relates to various improvements in fish plateconstruction for the purpose of increasing the general utility of thefish plates and of the rails with which they are associated.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective showing one form of my improved fish platehere usedv for connecting together a pair of ordinary service rails; 2is 'a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is avertical section on the line 33 of F ig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrow; Fig. l shows a modification in the fish plates, and is takenon the section line 4. L of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of thearrow; Fig. 5 is a sectionshowing another form, and is taken upon theline 55 of Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation illustratinghow the shearing stresses between the rails are taken up. to a certainextent, by aid of my improved fish plate; Fig. 7 is a side elevationshowing the form of fish plate illustrated in Fig. 4; and Fig. 8 is aside elevation showing the modified form of fish plate appearing in Fig.5.

At 9, 10 are rails which, in thisinstance, are of the type in commonuse. One form of my improved fish plate is shown at 11. This fish plateis provided with bearing surfaces 12, 14 for engaging the head of therail, and with other bearing surfaces 13, 15 for engaging the foot ofthe rail. Between the bearing surfaces 12 and the bearing surfaces 14(see top of Fig. 1 the upper edge of the fish plate is cut away so thatthe upper portion of the fish plate does not touch the rail at all,except where the hearing surfaces 12, 14- make contact with it.Similarly, between the bearing surfaces 13 and the bearing surfaces 15the lower edge of the fish plate is.cut away for a similar purpose.

As may be seen from Fig. 8, nearly allportions of the fish plate areclear of the rail. The fish plates 11 are arrangedin pairs, the platesof each pair being clamped against opposite sides of the rail and heldin position by aid of bolts 16, 17 which extend through the rail andthrough the fish plates. By aid of nuts 17 and washers 17 the fishplates are forced tightly into position, so as to hold the rail endsrigid; and when, owing to wear either of the fish plates or rails, orboth, there is any lost motion developed, the nuts 17 are tightened soas to again render the rail ends rigid relatively to each other and tothe fish plates.

In Fig. 6 the shearing action of the rails 9, .10 is illustrated, and amember 11 diagrammatically representing the fish plate 11, is shown-inconnection with the rails 9, 10 for exhibiting how the mechanicalstresses tend to play upon the fish plates. As will readily beunderstood, when one end of the rail 10 goes downward relatively to theadjacent end of the rail 9, there is a shearing action exerted directlyupon the fish plate adjacent to the middle of the latter, and there isalso a tendency to force one end of the member upward and the oppositeend downward. i

From Fig. 6 it is evident that if the mem ber 11 be thoroughly braced atits ends and also at its middle, by bearing Surfaces which engage therails at these points along the member 11 the rails can be held rigidly,provided only that the member l1 be forced directly against the railends. This explanation accounts formy use .of the bearing surfaces 12,13, .14, 15, andfor my positioning them in the relation stated. If, forinstance, according to Fig. 1, the end of. the

rail 10 goes downward as} indicated in Fig.-

6, pressure is exerted upon the right-hand portion of the. bearingsurface 12 and also upon the left-hand portion of the bearing surface13, this pressure tending to prevent the descent'of the rail 10- or theascent of I the rail 9. The rail ends are thus heldin tion of-the lengthof the rail.

reason, I make the bearin' surfaces; 14.

truealinement if the bolts be kept tight.-

Another principle is also here apparent.

Referring to Fig; 3, it will be noted that the bearing surfaces 12(measured in a direc} tion crossing the general length ofthe rail) areconsiderably narrower than the surfaces 13. -In order to equalize'thesesurfaces, I make the bearing surfaces 12 longer than the bearingsurfaces 13 in the general direc- For the same longer than the bearingsur aces 15 meas ur'ed in the general direction of the'length of therail. In doing this I make all-of the surfaces engaging the rail headabout'equal in.area to the surfaces engaging the foot'of the rail,'andalso make ata particular point (say at the left end of the rail 10)/thearea .of that portion of the bearing surface 12 in contact with the railhead equal or approxi mately equal to that portion of the bearingsurface 13 which happens to be in engagement with the foot of the-samerail. In doing this I distribute the metal of the fish plate so as tosecure the greatest possible strength and durability, as well as thegreatest economy of the metal of which the fish plates are made.

In View of the foregoing explanation,

Figs. 7 and 8 may be readily understood.

In Fig. 7 the rails 9, 10 are engaged by a pair of fish plates, one ofwhich is shown at 18. This fish plate is provided at its ends with upperbearings 20 and at the middle with a bearing 21. It is also providedatits ends with lower bearings 22 and at its middle with a bearing 23. Theapportion clamped between fish plates one of which isshown at 19.- Eachfish plate has, as before, upper bearings 24, 25 and lower bearings 26,27, in which the proportions and measurements are controlled by theprinciples above outlined.

,with the bearing. surface first mentione J 2. A fish plate, comprisinga longitudinal I do not limit myself to any particular type, of rail norto. any special form of fish plate, as these may parting from the spiritof my invention.

Having thus described; my invention,- I.

.claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A fishplate', comprising a longitudinal member provided adj acenttoone of its ends with a long bearing surface for engaging the head ofarail, and also provided at*the Isa'me end-with a short bearing surface-;for engagin the foot-of a rail, saidsh'ortbearing sur acebeing-extended in a direction independent of its length, for the purposeof approximately equalizing the aggregate area of. this hearingsurface'as com ared member 'for holding rails together, said memberbeing provided adjacent to its mid- V d-le with an upper bearing surfacefor engaging the head ofa rail, and with a lower .-bearing surfa'ce forengaging the foot of a rail,-said upper bearing surface-extending to agreater distance than said lower bearing surface in a direction arallelwith the generallength of the b0 ymember, said lower bearing surfaceextending to a greater distance than the upper bearing surface in adirection crossing the generallength of said body member.

member provided adjacent to its ends with surfaces for enga ing theheads of rails, and further provi ed adjacent to its middle withsurfaces for engaging the feet of said rails, the aggregate area of saidfirst-mene I00 tioned surfacesbeing approximately equal to the aggregateareaof said second-mentioned surfaces. 4. A fish plate, comprising alongitudinal member provided adjacent to its ends with bearing surfacesfor engaging the heads of rails and with other bearing surfaces forengaging the feet of saidrails, each of said. first-mentioned bearingsurfaces having a length and a width independent of the length and widthof oneof the adjacent second-mentioned bearing surfaces, the area ofeach of said first-mentioned bearing surfaces being substantially equalto the area of the adjacentsecond-mentioned bearing surface.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

; JORGEN M. J ORGENSEN.

Witnesses: v

WALTON HARRISON, PHILIP D. RoLLHAps.

be varied without de- 65 3. A fish plate comprising a longitudinal "95

